Victoria Falls, a species boundary for the Zambezi Parrotfish, Cyphomyrus discorhynchus (Peters, 1852), and the resurrection of Cyphomyrus cubangoensis (Pellegrin, 1936) (Mormyridae: Teleostei)

• Published in: Journal of natural history Vol. 45; no. 43-44; pp. 2669 - 2699
• Main Authors: Kramer, Bernd, Van der Bank, F. Herman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 01.01.2011
• Subjects: allopatric speciation; electric organ discharges; fins; geographic cline; geographical variation; parapatric; rivers; Scaridae; southern Africa
• ISSN: 1464-5262; 0022-2933; 1464-5262
• DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2011.597945

Cyphomyrus discorhynchus occurs in the Zambezi River and in the linked systems of the Kwando and the Okavango. We collected specimens from both above and below the Victoria Falls and recorded Electric Organ Discharges. We found a marked degree of anatomical differentiation among the specimens from the Zambezi delta to the Victoria Falls that represents a subspecific, geographical cline, reflecting the great length (1400 km) and high ecological diversity of that river section (Lower and Middle Zambezi). We confirm that the populations above the Falls (i.e. Upper Zambezi, Kwando and Okavango) are differentiated from those below, possessing fewer dorsal fin rays (a median of 30–31 rather than 33–34). The waveforms of the electric organ discharge pulses have four phases and show geographic variation but were briefer for specimens from below the Falls. We resurrect Cyphomyrus cubangoensis (Pellegrin, 1936) for the Upper Zambezi/Kwando/Okavango system.